Modern onboard avionics networks for serve to provide data transfer between all facets of an aircraft. Avionics systems typically have a variety of systems that provide data to processing components of the aircraft or exchange data among one or more other components of the aircraft. For example, a variety of avionics modules may gather avionics data (e.g., sensors detecting speed, direction, external temperature, control surface positions, and the like) that is routed by the avionics system via an avionics network to one or more aircraft components such as displays, monitoring circuits, processors, and the like.
In some aircraft systems, the avionics network may be constructed with an Aeronautical Radio INC. (ARINC) 429 data bus capable of supporting communication between many components. More recently, Ethernet networks have been used in avionic network environments by leveraging Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) technology to increase bandwidth and reduce cost.
Ethernet type networks have been used in communication networks for implementing communication among various network components. An Ethernet network may be used to send or route data in a digital form by packets or frames. Each packet contains a set of data, and the packet is generally not interpreted while sent through the Ethernet network. In an avionics network environment, the Ethernet network typically has different components that subscribe to the avionics network and connect to each other through switches. Each network subscriber can send packets in digital form, at controlled rates, to one or more other subscribers. When a switch receives the packets, the switch determines the destination equipment and directs or switches the packets to such equipment.
Such Ethernet networks may include Avionics Full DupleX (AFDX) switch Ethernet networks. In a switched full-duplex Ethernet type network, the term “full-duplex”refers to sending and receiving packets at the same time on the same link, and the term “switched” refers to the packets being switched in switches on appropriate outputs. However, the AFDX network uses multiple switches and redundant paths to route data, point-to-point or point-to-multipoint across the switches.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a avionics network having reduced hardware cost while maintaining functionality and safety.